1 Perter #1 – Study Questions

Kyle Bartholic   -   December 29, 2022

Allegiance – You are something new. 

 

1 Peter 1:1-2:10

 

INTRODUCTION:  If you’ve ever stepped into an environment and instantly felt like you didn’t belong, Peter and the audience he wrote to can sympathize with you. They were living in a moment in history where being a Christian was noticeable publicly because it meant living a totally new lifestyle. Simply put, they didn’t belong to the Roman kingdom, and they felt it. However, as Peter tells them, that is great news! They don’t fit with Rome because they belong in the kingdom of God. And because they belong in the kingdom of God, they have a hope that is living, an inheritance that is imperishable, and a salvation that leads to something greater. Their allegiance is to Jesus, and nothing could be better for them, even as they struggle to fit into Rome.

 

The Christians of Asia Minor were facing troubling times. Because of their faith in Christ, they were being grieved by social ostracism. Slander and malicious talk undermined their relationships with associates and family, threatened their honor in the community, and possibly jeopardized their livelihood. The issues of how to maintain a vital Christian faith in such circumstances and how to respond to unjust treatment pressed upon them. Peter writes to give these Christians hope, consolation, and encouragement by explaining their new identity in Christ and how even suffering is an integral part of that identity.[1] What was the main tension point as they lived out this new identity? They refused to worship the gods of their culture; they had an exclusive message of salvation; they had odd customs and practices; and they believed in a God who became a man and who, rather than triumph and establish his kingdom as expected, had been killed, only to rise again (they claimed) from the dead. The Christians to whom Peter wrote were exiles in the world they once called their own.[2] The reality is simple, they are new people, and they are to continue to live as such, even in the face of opposition. However, that reality is easier said than done. And, frankly, it is one that we can relate to in our modern moment. It is also the greatest opportunity, why?  Because, if we have a living hope, we should live like it. And, when we live like it, others will come to experience that same living hope.

 

 

 

GETTING STARTED – As you begin your group time this week, talk about a time in your life when you faced a difficult situation because of the values of your faith. How did you work through it? What lessons did you learn?

 

 

IN THE WORD –   Let’s dig back into the passage. It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.

First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)

 

Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.

Some questions to help make observations of this large passage:

 

Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?

 

 

 

Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?

 

 

Note: There is a lot to talk about in this passage. Here are some questions that might be helpful in guiding your discussion. Two themes that come up in this larger section are suffering and the identity of believers (i.e., the Church).

  1. No matter how much shame and suffering you face now, you will not be ashamed when Christ is revealed. How does knowing this help you to endure Christian suffering?
  2. Christ is offensive. How have you experienced this truth? How is this both sobering and helpful as you consider the way those around you respond to your faith?
  3. In what part of your life do you most need to cling to the truth that God is in sovereign control, knows what he is doing, and will bring you to glory?
  4. How would you explain to a new Christian the place and purpose of the church in God’s plan?
  5. How will Peter’s explanation of the church shape and influence not just your view of the church, but your participation in it?
  6. What are you going to think to yourself about what you are doing next time you walk through the door of your church building to meet together?[3]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Karen H. Jobes, 1 Peter, ed. Robert W. Yarbrough and Joshua W. Jipp, Second Edition., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022), 63.

[2] Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2016), 15.

[3] Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2016), 90.